The strange this is, Ubuntu growth is rapid at the moment, and there are a lot of groups out there, I'm a little new to the list so I'm not entirely sure what it's supposed to be here for, but I think there is still a space for an Australian Ubuntu 'overseer', but we do suffer from geographical extremities and the fact that little modification is needed here from the US / UK versions... Perhaps a rethinking into more of a resource for pooling together Ubuntu users and groups?
What do other groups around the world do? A lack of finances means that a meet up is hard bearing in mind the Geography of Australia, but my most immediate idea would be to change or at least update the website, I cam across the site from the Ubuntu site as an interested party and was greeted by an out of date site, which will put beginners off. On Thu, 2009-09-03 at 23:19 +1000, Dave Hall wrote: > Hi Scott, > > On Thu, 2009-09-03 at 17:18 +1000, Scott Evans wrote: > > Is it still fair to say that Australia still has an "active" ubuntu > > team? > > > > It seems that the proposed monthly meeting have failed, if a call for > > help goes out on #ubuntu-au it generally goes unanswered as the person > > doing the asking is in need of a quick answer and possibly leaves > > assuming no-one wants to help them. > > I look at the list every day or so depending on work demands. I > currently subscribe to about 30 lists of varying traffic levels. > > I have been a Linux desktop user for many years - I run warty on my 2nd > desktop :) > > Supporting Linux desktops isn't easy, each person's setup is different. > Look at Rob's recent thread on his vodafone HSDPA modem. I have a fair > bit of experience using 3G modems with Linux, I am about to by my 7th > modem, and sign my 6th contract. If he had have email another week I > may not have had time to put the effort in. > > Lets look at the "quick answer" issue for a minute. Most users pay > nothing for ubuntu. They pay around $200 for a copy of Windows on a new > PC. with either option there is no offer of free support. If people > want a quick answer, they can always pay for one. > > I am a big user of FOSS. If I want an SLA, I buy the commercial* > version, or pay for a support contract. At the same time, I know where > to find a lot of info, so when I can I "spend" my time, not cash on > getting support. > > On a few occassions I have had beer delivered to people on the other > side of the world after getting help with critical issues. > > The software is free as in freedom (and beer too), but the support isn't > included, that is a bonus. > > Note: * commercial doesn't mean proprietary. In some cases it does, but > there is loads of commercial open source out there too. > > > What I'm hoping to achieve here is constructive comments/criticism of > > the current state of ubuntu-au and hopefully get some activity > > happening again... (may just be banging my head against a brick wall!) > > Go for it. But have a clear plan on what _you_ plan to do for the > community. Don't do something expecting there to be a bunch of others > with the same motivations and time as you. If others don't jump on > board, it doesn't mean they think you are wrong, hate you etc etc, they > may have more important things to do or lack the technical skills etc. > > > Currently the ubuntu-au mailing list averages about 25-75 spam emails > > a day! and it's rare to see a valid request (from mirrored sources of > > this list) also they are generally requests for help. I realise that > > not everyone is at their PC 24/7 or active on IRC but if I was asked > > as to the current involvement of ubuntu-au I'd be hard pressed to give > > an truthful answer to it meaning as currently it achieves very little > > (IMHO) > > > > So please bring forth a plethora of suggestion/ideas & comments... > > > > I am but one... as many we are a community... lets make it "happen" > > I will contribute when I have time, but I have very little time > available this month. My "community" time this month will be spent > converting the local community run internet cafe from windows to ubuntu > - well most of the machines. I will also be launching the drupal > powered community website - http://newstead.vic.au. Finally I will > rolling out a free wifi network in the CBD of my town. > > October will mostly be spent travelling for business. Somewhere in > there I need to make time for my family. Explaining to yet another > person that the < $100 inkjet printer they bought is a useless > winprinter isn't even on the radar. > > I hope you are still reading to here. I have been involved in FOSS > projects for almost 10 years. I hate to see people with energy get > discouraged, we need fresh faces, new blood, different directions. At > the same time, you should be stepping up to do something, not stepping > up to tell others what to do. Be brave, take the jump. See where you > end up. I wish you the best. Be prepared to put in the hard yards. > > Cheers > > Dave > > PS Please consider dropping the 2 images from your signature and using > plain text for the list, that would bring your ~40k message down to > <4k :) > >
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